US WAR DOGS IN THE NEWS
Reflections on a Busy Quarter
Our president, Chris Willingham, shares some insights on what US War Dogs has been up to since 1 January.
When I think about our organization’s achievements and key activities over the last three months, I can’t help but feel the renewed sense of urgency for our mission, and the need for it. Word has gradually been spreading about what we do, which has meant an uptake in the number of Rx Program registrations.
It also means that families of retired MWDs are seeking us out when they need our help in times of crisis – providing emergency care to dogs, in their home state, when they need it most. So far in 2024, we have provided over $45,000 of emergency care, in the form of treatments, diagnostics and surgeries, to support the health needs of our retired military K-9s.
I can’t tell you how proud that fact makes me. I love that we are front of mind for families and handlers when things break bad for their dogs. Our team and I work hard to make sure that care is administered and paid for – on the day. We are deeply invested in the care of each and every MWD that needs us – it’s why we’re here.
Our Rx Program is holding steady at 1,100 MWDs registered and we’ve also been able to help a number of bereaved families by funding a dignified goodbye for their MWDs, covering the cost of euthanasia and cremation through our Rainbow Bridge Program.
US Army PEDD, Edo, joined our Rx Program in March
Honoring Heroes
Along with the increased awareness of our cause – through social media and good, old fashioned word of mouth, within our K-9 community – we have also been honored to issue seven US War Dogs Service Awards to retired MWDs, in grateful thanks for their service to our country. Dogs like Ffidelio, who served as a patrol and explosives detector dog (PEDD) with the US Marine Corps from 2015-2022. Ffidelio deployed to Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar as a combat-ready replacement and asset, in support of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Ffidelio also served with a Special Operations unit in Syria, where he retrieved one of the largest weapons, ammo, firearm, and HME/IED caches in the country. Most importantly – as his former handler and adopted owner describes – he made the guys and girls around him happy, providing a much-needed moral boost during dark days. We are honored to mark Ffidelio’s service.
Ffidelio with his US War Dogs Service Award
War Dogs Guardians
As always, we are indebted to our amazing supporters for helping us to continue our vital mission – every cent we receive is used to further our mission and we wouldn’t be here without your generosity of spirit.
In this edition of our newsletter, you have been introduced to a remarkable lady – Janet Deltuva – who had dedicated literally thousands of hours to publishing a coffee table book of dog portraits, to raise money for US War Dogs. Retired US Air Force colonel Janet, has already raised thousands of dollars with her first book, Tails of Alamo City, published in 2021 but with her new book – which was launched for pre-order on K-9 Veterans Day – she is hoping to raise an incredible $100,000 for our cause. I hope you are inspired by Janet’s story and enjoy reading the article we have put together for you.
Tails of the Hill Country by retired Air Force colonel, Janet Delutva, is available to pre-order now
In January, we launched War Dogs Guardians: A new membership program that not only enables those who wish to support our cause on a regular basis to do so – choosing a monthly due to suit their budget – but also grants access into a unique community of likeminded individuals. We’ve been blown away by the support War Dogs Guardians has already received. Interested in becoming a War Dogs Guardian? You can join any time by clicking here.
Support for US War Dogs isn’t just limited to donations, though. You can help us raise greater awareness of what we do, so that we can continue to help as many retired MWDs as possible by sharing our social media posts, inviting friends and family to follow and ‘like’ our pages. Those small steps go a long way and we truly appreciate your help in this regard.
K-9 Veterans Day
At the time of writing, we are just a few days past K-9 Veterans Day: A national and now, international day designed to recognise and honor the role of K-9 in the military. Last year, we spent an incredible day gathered with members of the K-9 community to honor the service and sacrifice of MWDs – past, present and future. This year, although we didn’t hold an official event, the day always gives cause for quiet reflection. I raised a glass to the dog handlers who passed before me, leading the way for future generations of teams to serve with faithfulness and skill.
Click here to read our history of K-9 Veterans Day, to learn more about its origins.
WWII K-9 Chips came through the Dogs for Defence Program, which encourages American families to donate their dogs to support the war effort
Looking Ahead
I have no doubt that the hard work and support we have provided in the first three months of 2024 will continue as we move into the spring. I truly love this mission and I am thankful that I get to help these incredible dogs enjoy health and comfort in their well-deserved retirement. It’s therapy for me and I know many of my fellow volunteers feel the same. Thank you for being a part of this mission – we are so grateful for you.
K-9 leads the way!
War Dogs' Spring Update From Chris
Our president, Chris Willingham, reports some of the key highlights from the past three months, and it has been a busy one!
What’s going on, K-9 Fam!
My team and I have been grinding these past couple of months to continue our vital mission of supporting our nation’s MWDs and their handlers – active and retired. That support has come in several tangible forms:
- We’ve been thrilled to add 28 new retired dogs to the Rx Program so we can take care of the cost of their prescriptions.
- Our Emergency Care Program and Specialized Care Program through our partnership with NVA Compassion First, have helped seven dogs by covering the cost of surgeries and treatments, totaling $21,000 in the past three months alone. NVA Compassion First is the parent company of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, with whom we entered into a partnership in 2014. We are extremely grateful to Red Bank and NVA Compassion First for their continued support and service to the MWD community.
- We just finished sending out 170 care packages, totaling $20,000 to 19 K-9 units across the world, making sure our active-duty dog teams have quality gear and a welcome taste of home for those stationed abroad.
We sent out 170 care packages to dog teams across the globe
I’m so proud to be able to provide such incredible support to both the dogs who gave their best years to protect our nation’s freedom and those dog teams who are actively serving in our military right now.
Of course, we couldn’t continue without the generosity and support our donors and friends who help make our work possible. We received just over $22,000 in individual donations during the last three months, which has all been spent directly on our mission. We can’t thank you enough for your generosity – it means the world to us.
As the summer heated up, so too did our fundraising champions, who laid on challenges and events to bring in thousands of dollars in support of our cause.
Former US Navy dog handler, Mike Handlin, took on the gruelling 100km Canyons Trail in California, to raise money for US War Dogs. We’ve been supporting his retired MWD, Hero, through the Rx Program and Mike wanted to give something back. Mike – you are a legend! Thank you so much for your hard work and efforts.
Retired US Navy dog handler Mike Handlin and his dog Hero raise money for US War Dogs
Vanish Brewery in Leesberg, VA, sold a special War Dogs-branded beer at their Father’s Day event on 18 June. Of course, it would have been rude for me not to go down and sample the beer that not only bears our name, but also features a beautiful drawing of my specialized search dog, Lucca. The beer was delicious and I know Lucca would have approved.
War Dogs IPA from Vanish Brewery
We were also honored to be one of the charities that benefitted from the funds raised at the fourth Federal News Network Annual Motorcycle Ride on Friday 23 June. The team of riders came together to take a leisurely tour through Maryland and into Virginia, ending with a check presentation ceremony and lunch. I went along with retired MWDs Ziggy and Peggy and their owners and former handlers, to accept the donation and celebrate another great event.
Retired MPC Peggy joined us to receive the Check from Tom Temin at Federal News Network for $7,000 - and counting!
Changing The Law
A number of hard-working and dedicated champions for the K-9 community have spent thousands of hours campaigning, lobbying and petitioning government to change the status of MWDs from ‘equipment’ to members of the armed forces, in order for them to receive allocated funding on retirement for veterinary care and other associated costs. The bill is still making its way through Congress and has been sponsored by Elissa Slotkin and we were asked to provide our support earlier this month, when the bill was introduced to the house. The next stage will be to find a cosponsor in the senate to take the bill forward and we’ll checking regularly on its progress, to ensure that MWDs are granted the respect they deserve, enshrined in law.
Partners
We are thrilled to introduce you to the incredible humans behind our newest partnership with The Dawgs Project. The headline article featured in this newsletter will give you all the details on their amazing organization, but from our side, I just wanted to extend a huge welcome to them as they join the War Dogs family. We will be providing regular financial support to their mission, which provides opportunities for dog handlers to enjoy fellowship and brotherhood over great food. They have big plans for the future and we look forward to standing alongside them as they work hard to support our K-9 family.
L-R The Dawgs Project President Luciano Aguilar, Rosendo Madrigal, Arlene Douangdara, Chris Willingham
Moving On Up
As well as supporting active-duty dog teams and retired MWDs and their families, we’ve also been working hard behind the scenes to keep our organization running smoothly…
We added a number of new volunteers to our team to help execute the many facets of US War Dogs. Suzanne Scott – current US Marine Corps recruiter and former dog handler, joined our social media team; US Secret Service dog handler Nick Neumann is now in post as communications manager, with MARSOC dog handler Max Belcaro and former US Marine Corps dog handler Ray Meyers joining the team to run our Membership Program (more on that soon!). We have a strong team of dedicated volunteers who give their time to help make this organization what it is. It’s an honor to serve with you, brothers and sisters.
After 18 months in our new HQ in Maryland, our building has been called to close down for extensive renovations, which meant we had to pack our bags and move to a new location just a mile away. Moving is always a pain in the ass, but we’re settling into our new location nicely, which has a better view and a bigger elevator (it’s the small things that count). I’d like to thank our team of willing volunteers who helped shift boxes on moving day – War Dogs beers will be on me!
I speak for my whole team when I say that we are honored to run this organization to support the K-9 community as much as we can. If you have any suggestions, comments or would just like to get in touch to say hi, we’d love to hear from you at k9family@uswardogs.org.
Thank you for your support and here’s to the next few months of crushing it in the name of K-9!
K-9 leads the way!
Monday March 13 has become a day that the K-9 community pauses to reflect on the achievements of its past; the dedication and skill of those involved in the brotherhood today and a celebration of what’s to come in the future.
K-9 Veterans Day has provided a chance to share stories and photos on social media and reflect on the day the US Army officially set up the K-9 Corps in 1942. Fewer calendar days align so completely with our mission, so we decided to take the virtual celebration and turn it into a physical event.
Gathering at the US Navy Memorial in Washington D.C, we were honored to be joined by current-serving and former dog handlers – including veterans from Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan; Gold Star families of K-9 brothers who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and a collection of hardworking figures within the K-9 community that provide support, guidance and amplification of the role and work of MWDs.
Our ceremony kicked off with a the National Anthem and a color guard, provided by the United States Secret Service and included former US Marine Corps dog handler, Tim Connolly.
Following a blessing, offered by retired US Marine Corps sergeant and Purple Heart recipient, Al Brenner, we launched into a program that highlighted some incredible stories from the community, including a keynote speech from retired US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) dog handler, Nic Fontaine, whose story you can read in this edition of our newsletter. Nic completed 16 years in Special Ops and deployed 16 times in support of the War on Terror.
US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) multi-purpose canine, Bass, was in attendance at the ceremony and we spent some time sharing the achievements that led Bass to become the 75th recipient of the internationally-acclaimed PDSA Dickin Medal.
Krystal Tronboll from The Ddamien Project also attended the event with one her ranch’s retired residents, Ria. A special moment came in the program came when our president and board members presented Krystal with a cheque for $25,000 to support with her continued efforts to take care of some of our nation’s most challenging retired MWDs.
Finally, we were joined by dog teams from each branch of service who helped us to honor our fallen. While the piper played Amazing Grace, the K-9s and their handlers stepped off to salute the traditional Battlefield Cross and K-9 memorial display, which features an empty kennel, dog bowl, leash. Guests were encouraged to say the name of their fallen loved ones while the salute took place.
US War Dogs president Chris Willingham, said: “The event gave an opportunity for our K-9 family from all military branches to come together and reflect on some of the achievements of our community. It was a fantastic ceremony and the fellowship and brotherhood enjoyed by those who could attend made the day feel truly special.
“We hope to make the event an annual thing to give more of the community a chance to share the occasion with us.”
The fellowship and fun continued as we held a raffle and silent auction at Hill Country BBQ to raise funds for US War Dogs. Guests dug deep to snag some truly special and unique auction lots and raffle prizes, including four handcrafted pieces by artist James Mellick; a knife – handmade by Vietnam scout dog handler Dan Miller and a Sangin Instruments Atlas watch.
Chris said: “ “The auction, raffle, War Dogs swag store, along with generous donations made by iHeartDogs and Gold Star dad,Grant Coffey meant that the event raised an incredible $20,000 for our cause.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for donating raffle items and auction lots, and to those who volunteered their time to help run the event. The event was a success on every level and our hearts are full of gratitude for everyone who made it so special.
US War Dogs to Celebrate K-9 Veterans Day
For a number of years now, K-9 Veterans Day has been a staple date on the social media calendar, giving an opportunity for the community to reflect and celebrate our dogs, handlers, trainers, veterans, fallen brothers and those who come out in support of military K-9.
Our team at US War Dogs has decided that this special day – which falls on Monday March 13, 2023 – warrants more than just a social media hashtag and so we are gathering to celebrate the day – for real!
On Saturday March 11, K-9 members from all branches of service and eras of conflict, will be invited to come together for a very special ceremony that will honor, celebrate and recognize the K-9 community.
US War Dogs president, Chris Willingham, said: “We are very excited to host this event, which feels like a fitting way to celebrate K-9 Veterans Day and the role of military K-9 through the years. I think the event will bring a huge sense of pride to the community and it is my hope that we can hold similar events each year, to start a new tradition for K-9 Veterans Day.”
If you would be interested in attending, please contact the team at k9family@uswardogs.org to register your interest. Spaces are limited and places will be allocated via a ballot system.
Keep an eye out for our emails to find out more about plans for the event and ways that you can help get involved in the celebrations, even if you’re unable to make the event in person.
Share You K-9 Pics and Vids with Us!
We’ve been really busy this year, expanding our activities on social media and on our website, to help tell some of the incredible stories within the K-9 community.
We’re always on the lookout for great photos, video and stories from our K-9 fam, so if you would like us to feature your dog; a handler you know or a story from our history, please get in touch via social.media@uswardogs.org.
Our Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels are growing every week and as they do, word of our incredible organization spreads so that we can help more retired MWDs. You can really help us out by supplying us with great content and we welcome all your ideas and suggestions.
Thank you and K-9 leads the way!
US War Dogs Spreads Festive Cheer to our K-9 Family
With Christmas just around the corner, we have been busier than Santa’s elves, ordering up some quality care packages for our dog teams across the globe.
As well as including some best-love items for the dogs, we’ve also bought up some goodies for two veteran-owned companies, which not only supports our veterans, but also gives our K-9 teams some real treats to open over the holidays.
Our generous supporters at Coffey Health System in New Jersey donated a over $4,000 to our Care Package Program, along with a box of handwritten Christmas cards that will be sent to our troops as part of our bundles.
US War Dogs president, Chris Willingham, said: “Christmas can be a tough time to be away from home and our care packages are a way to remind our deployed K-9 brothers and sisters that we are here for them and that we appreciate their efforts.”
Chris’s dog Murray helped box up the packages, which are scheduled to be collected by the big man in red any day now and transported to over 70 teams in Japan, the Middle East, Africa and Alaska.
Chris continues: “Your continued support means we can keep sending these vital pieces of home to our brothers and sisters overseas and on the home front. Thank you and K-9 leads the way!”
Spreading the Good Word on War Dogs
The team has been out in the community, representing US War Dogs at a number of key events so far this year.
Our president Chris was invited to make a keynote speech at the University of Pennsylvania’s Working Dog Conference, which saw academics and practitioners come together to share the best in all things K-9. US War Dogs was also given a virtual booth which gave us chance to chat with guests across the weekend.
And on May 13, Chris was invited to give the keynote speech at the rededication of the War Dogs Memorial at Fort Benning, GA. Attended by active service personnel from all branches of service and veterans from wars spanning WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the War on Terror, the event not only provided the opportunity to pause and reflect on the vital bond that continues to exist between dog and handler, but also, to pay respects to those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Chris was fortunate enough to meet some inspiring individuals, such as Jesse Mendez, who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam and was a real innovator in finding ways to incorporate MWDs in operations. On April 29 1968, he was the first person to execute a free fall jump with his 46-pound German Shepherd, Pal. A true K-9 legend! Jesse passed away a little under a month after the event and his funeral was held on June 14 – the 245th birthday of the US Army. We send our condolences to Jesse’s family and sincerely thank him for his service.
Our team have also been fortunate enough to be invited to some of the events that have been arranged in our honor, to fundraise for our fantastic cause. War Dog CrossFit in San Antonio held a competition to raise cash for War Dogs and our board member, Alex, went along with his retired MPC, Bass, to cheer on the competitors.
Federal News Network held its annual motorcycle ride in Maryland and invited Chris to come along and meet riders at the finish line.
Our vice president, Chuck, recently attended a Rotary Club meeting to talk to members about our mission and this weekend, members of the team journeyed to Frederick, MD, to hit up two motorcycle events, meeting new friends and winning over new supporters for our cause.
We have more exciting events planned over the coming months so keep it here for more info!
US War Dogs Hits the Airwaves
In support of our mission to honor MWDs and their vital work, we take any opportunity we can to speak in public forums about K-9. Alongside our events program, which takes all things US War Dogs into communities and professional settings, our president, Chris Willingham, has been busy recording two podcasts, that not only tell the story of his own K-9 career with US Marine Corps legend, Specialized Search Dog, Lucca, it also shines a spotlight on our work here at US War Dogs.
Chris spoke to John Littlefair at Never Just a Dog – a podcast designed to celebrate the incredible impact that dogs have on our lives.
The Working Dog Radio podcast covers all things K-9 and boasts international listeners from across the professional K-9 community. Give these podcasts a listen and hit us up to share your thoughts on them!
Happy listening and K-9 leads the way!
